148 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



I did not witness the actual finish of this chase, for in 

 the end the combatants fled Uke rockets towards a distant 

 swamp, where, I beheve, both snipe pitched, foiUng the 

 hawks by seeking the shelter of the deep rushes. If so, 

 they certainly won the day, for they had succeeded in 

 their initial quest of inducing the birds of prey to move 

 elsewhere. 



Subsequent observations have led me to the conclusion 

 that in the spring and summer merlins feed very con- 

 siderably on snipe, sandpipers, and redshanks — three 

 birds which are extraordinarily well able to take care of 

 themselves in the air. In winter starlings, titlarks, and 

 rodents figure largely on the merlin's bill of fare. One 

 merlin was to be seen at dusk almost every evening flying 

 along under a wall quite near to a steading, situated between 

 the moor and a hardwood forest, and I discovered sub- 

 sequently that just before darkness the rats of the out- 

 buildings were in the habit of wandering out into the 

 wood. The place was accordingly visited by many birds 

 of prey. 



The essential difference between the hunting methods 

 of the merlin and those of the peregrine have, I think, 

 been made clear. The merlin, flying low, frequents the 

 same scenes day after day, hunting for its food, and I am 

 of the opinion that it is more limited in home range than 

 any other of our hawks. And while the peregrine is 

 essentially a bird of the crags, the merlin loves best the 

 open, sweeping moorlands where from skyline to skyline 

 the view consists of wild stretches of heather. Crags and 

 broken rocky country have no special call for it, as such 

 surroundings have for the peregrine. 



Fishing on the River Wharfe one August evening I 

 saw a merlin give way to a typical peregrine trick, which 

 rather surprised me. He was seated serenely on the 

 topmost branches of a plane, while numbers of starhngs 



